Melaleuca has been in operation since 1985, and have built up a global empire. The company specializes in natural health and wellness products for personal grooming, household use, pets, children etc. Melaleuca is one of the fastest growing companies in America and has experienced a high level of success. One of their main competitors is fellow network marketing company Shaklee. Shaklee have been in operation since 1956, and also specialize in environmentally friendly products for both personal and home use. Although their product range is distinctly smaller than Melaleuca’s, Shaklee still poses as a major threat to the company. But which is the best for you? Which company is the safest? The cheapest? The best for business development? Read on to find out.Back To The Top

Melaleuca vs Shaklee: Product Ingredients

Like Melaleuca, Shaklee’s products are based on natural ingredients. Shaklee has two important principles that must be adhered to when selecting products:

1. Ingredients must be as natural as possible.

2. Ingredients must reflect the most recent scientific and technological advances.

Like Melaleuca, Shaklee support their natural and naturally derived ingredients with scientifically formulated ingredients if a natural alternative is not possible. Their scientifically formulated ingredients are thoroughly tested to ensure bioavailability, purity and potency.

In terms of which company is the most “natural”, it would appear that they are evenly matched. They both pride themselves on the high quality and standard of their ingredients. The advantage Shaklee has over Melaleuca is that a list of their products’ ingredients seems to be easier to find. Shaklee clearly differentiate between natural, naturally derived and scientifically formulated ingredients, and also show which category every single ingredient used belongs to. Melaleuca seem to be less upfront about their ingredient lists, and don’t make it clear what the difference between natural and naturally derived is which can leave the consumer slightly confused.Back To The Top

Melaleuca vs Shaklee: Business Structure

Both companies belong in the network marketing industry, and so they have pretty similar structures. Melaleuca’s distributors must remain as customers and commit to spending a certain amount every month on Melaleuca products in order to be eligible for commission. Shaklee’s model works in much the same way:

“Just three clear steps to earning the rewards of a great living:
1. Use Shaklee products to make yourself healthier. Easy enough.
2. Share the products with others. You’ll want to.
3. Mentor others to do what you’re doing. Paying it forward pays you back.”

A key difference between the two companies is that as a Melaleuca Executive you are not involved in selling products to the end-consumer; you are merely recommending them to the company. As a Shaklee distributor, you are selling Shaklee products direct to the customer. Just as though you were a grocery store, you buy the products at wholesale prices and sell them to customers at a retail price, usually a 15% mark up.

Both companies’ distributors are required to purchase a certain amount of products every month. Melaleuca is purchased for personal use, whilst Shaklee is for resell. The Shaklee model seems to be risky. There is no guarantee that you will sell the products purchased, which could leave you with a large amount of unsold stock in your garage, and no profit.

Melaleuca vs Shaklee: Money Making Opportunity

The Melaleuca structure requires the least effort- you simply introduce a customer to the company, and will earn commission from their monthly sales provided you both spend a certain amount. From doing relatively little work, you can earn a small, monthly paycheck. You may not make much, but you won’t loose any either. Initially, it is harder to make money with Shaklee, as you msut buy the products upfront meaning before you’ve even sold anything, you’re already on a loss. There is no guarantee that you will sell any of your products, and so making even a small amount of money could be a difficult task.

Whilst it may be easier to earn a small residual income from Melaleuca, if you want to develop your business and start earning serious cash, then you need to commit to growing your down-line. It is expected to be as difficult to develop your business with Melaleuca as it is with Shaklee.

Melaleuca pay you a steady rate of commission on every generation of your down-line: 7%. With Shaklee, you are earning roughly a 15% margin on every sale, which is obviously more appealing. However, as said above, Shaklee presents a higher risk, and so whislt you will earn a higher rate, it could be harder to acheive.Back To The Top

Melaleuca vs Shaklee: Safer For The Environment

Melaleuca pride themselves on manufacturing products that are safer for the environment. Their ingredients, when possible, are taken from sustainable, natural resources, and have a firm stance against using chemicals that pollute the environment. Many of Melaleuca’s products are concentrated, or super concentrated, meaning less packaging, water and shipping is required, and all of their packaging is compatible with the majority of recycling facilities. Melaleuca also use reusable plastic bins in their manufacturing process and recycle what they can whenever possible.

Shaklee also do their best to protect the environment, and were the first company to be Climate Neutral™, meaning they operate with a net zero impact on the earth. Shaklee has been widely commended for their commitment to protecting the environment. Their product, Basic-H®, was chosen as one of the first official Earth Day products, and in 1998 Shaklee became a Charter Partner of the U.S. EPA’s Climate Wise Program. In 2008 the company was added to the Top 20 Retail Partner list by the EPA Green Power Partnership in recognition of being a top purchaser of green power. It is clear thatprotecting the environment is a large part of Shaklee’s organization. It appears however, that Shaklee do not produce super concentrated products, meaning that perhaps they are using unnecessary water, energy and packaging.

It is difficult to decide which network marketing company is more environmentally friendly. Melaleuca seem to do more to ensure their products are as ecological as possible, whilst Shaklee seem to concentrate a larger proportion of their energies to improving the general environment. Both are doing their part, and should be commended for their efforts. But in terms of who’s the most ecological? It is too hard to say.Back To The Top

Melaleuca vs Shaklee: Price Comparison

This article provides quite a thorough price comparison between many Melaleuca and Shaklee products, and it appears that, on average, the two companies are quite evenly matched. However, many of these products are no longer in production, and the document is also not laid out in a clear consistent manner.

The following prices were taken on 13/10/2010 direct from companies’ own websites (based on Regular Price- not membership prices)

As you can see, the companies are still relatively evenly matched in terms of price. Some products are cheaper with Melaleuca, some are cheaper with Shaklee.

Melaleuca has a larger product range, and includes essentials such as dental products, which Shaklee omits. You may find it is more convenient for you to shop with Melaleuca, or you may find it more cost effective to buy the bulk of your products from Shaklee and top them up with grocery store brands as and when.Back To The Top

Melaleuca vs Shaklee: The Verdict

So which is better for you; Melaleuca or Shaklee? Well, it depends. There is no black and white answer, no “Melaleuca is definitley the better company”, as both offer different things. In terms of the business opportunity, both companies provide you with a chance to create a prosperous business and generate a high level of income, but in different ways. Regardless of which one you choose, make sure you go in prepared, with a structured strategy to ensure success!Back To The Top

First of all, Shaklee is an MLM company while Melaleuca is a Consumer Direct Company. While they both have some products in common, to compare them is like comparing apples and beef! Despite their similarities, Melaleuca’s direct competition is Proctor and Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Lever Bros, etc. not Multi-Level Marketing Companies. In order to revenue share with Melaleuca you only need to purchase products you would have bought at the grocery store or drug store anyways, therefore it’s personal consumption rather than ‘front-end’ loading with product you have to mark up and resell. As for prices, you say ‘the companies are still relatively evenly matched in terms of price. Some products are cheaper with Melaleuca, some are cheaper with Shaklee’ All of Melaleuca’s prices, except for one are considerably less than Shaklee’s!!! The total of Melaleuca’s products are $94.00 while Shaklee’s products are $158.10 with a savings of $64.10!!! I would say Melaleuca, even at a ‘retail’ price offers products at a considerable savings compared with Shaklee’s prices.

Hi Theresia, thank you for your comments. Your comments about Melaleuca and MLM are interesting, and it is a question we have pondered ourselves here at ExplosiveMLM.com. You may enjoy reading this article entitled Melaleuca’s CDM structure – Is Melaleuca A MLM In Disguise?, where Judy Mila investigates this question, concluding that Melaleuca is indeed an MLM company.

How did you come to this conclusion Neil? In an MLM, everyone is a “distributor”- someone who is expected to buy and sell. Products flow through multiple levels of distribution- manufacturer sells to a distributor, who earns one level of commission: they sell the products to another distributor(who earns a different commission); and the end user (the customer) pays the retail price. To receive a money/check you must go out and “sponsor” someone. The sky is the limit on how much you can make on any single person and the more that single person buys, great, the more money everyone in the “upline” makes. They sell their business tools at retail so the people making them make $$. The business is based on volume.

Melaleuca is a CDM (Consumer Direct Marketing)- there are no distributors, only customers- real people who really buy products they really need, products they use, run out of and reorder. Nobody is forced to buy more than they can use. No buying, no selling! To receive a money/check you just have to shop (you’ll receive it in the form of rewards, kind of like you would get from using credit cards, only a much higher percentage) and/or recommend someone shop with them. Melaleuca limits the commissions paid on customers’ purchases to 150 product points per month, protecting all of their customers as it is not right to encourage others to over-purchase products since they do not make a commission by doing it. They sell their business tools at cost. Products are their business, not the compensation plan. The business is based on consumption.

Need I go on? I’m not sure where or how Judy Mila came up with her information, but it is false and she should not be spreading lies.

MLM is not where “everyone is a distributor”, it’s a compensation model. You can have MLM’s where there are both customers and distributors. So, you can call it something fancy (Consumer Direct Marketing, Direct Sales, Peer-to-peer-direct-to-consumer-compensational-distribution model)…but’s it’s MLM. No shame – let’s just call a spade a spade

I have to agree with Theresia. She is correct in that Melaleuca is not an MLM. I have meet several people in the MLM industry lately and have asked that very question. Everyone of them said the same thing. Melaleuca’s business plan is not structured the same way and is nothing like the MLM they have been in business with. As far as the pricing goes again I agree with Theresia. I’m not sure who is doing your math but it is clear Melaleuca’s products listed above are cheaper overall and there is a $64.00 difference. Maybe in your world $64.00 isn’t much. But its alot to me.

Shaklee does test on animals. I attended a meeting last night and the woman leading the meeting has been a Ex for Shaklee for 20+ years. She said that one of the new products they just put out was tested on mice.

I much prefer companies to test on animals first before testing them on humans. From what I have read there is a HUGE difference in testing toxins on animals and checking to see if a dog shampoo cleans an animal’s fur. I understand that Melaleuca did the latter and didn’t engage in traditional animal testing where animals were intentionally harmed to see what level of toxicity they could take.

Cars, trips, and, of course, cash. Cash in the form of FastTRACK bonuses, Power Bonuses (during your first 90 days and each time you achieve a new Business Leader rank), and more!

* Because the Dream Plan is new, there are no average earnings by rank as yet. For the Business Leader ranks in the Legacy Plan, the average annual income in 2009 ranged from $10,629 for Directors to $598,037 for Presidential Master Coordinators. Average annual income for each rank is calculated monthly based on information reported on Form 1099-MISC for all U.S. Business Leaders who achieved that rank that month. The sum of these monthly averages is the figure reported above. Results will vary with effort. Shaklee Corporation does not guarantee that any particular income level will be achieved.

Melaleuca has never tested on animals, and many products are certified vegan.

Comparing prices does not take into account: 1) Melaleuca products are so concentrated that one bottle of Tough-and-Tender makes 6 full-sized spray bottles of cleaning power; 2) Efficacy of the products found in both lines. For instance, Melaleuca has a patent on their vitamins, because the unique way in which the pills are constructed results in higher absorption of the vitamins and minerals, as well no free-radicals being created by interactions between the supplement ingredients while in the pill.

I’m sorry, but your information is WAY off base on Melaleuca. There is no way, in any MLM, to rise up to be a Corporate Director above the person who enrolled you who is still working very hard, as well. Melaleuca’s structure is more than just enrolling customer’s and business builder’s and you’re never left to fend for yourself. If you have people interested in the products or the business and cannot be available, a team member will jump in, help you and they will still be your personal customer or business builder. You are running your own Melaleuca business, but you are also part of a team that works as such.

Also, Shaklee has stock holder’s and their main profits are paid there. Melaleuca profit share’s 51% of its revenue with its costumer’s and their business builder’s get even more than them as a thank you. There is no middle man. Therefor your opportunity in growth is that much larger. You also stated that in working in Melaleuca you make a 7% commission … To START … It grows as you grow to 20% and that doesn’t include all of the bonuses and the bonuses are HUGE and often. That makes the money you’d make in Shaklee far more prosperous by being with Melaleuca. Its all in the math. The businesses sound the same but they couldn’t be more different in compensation, products and in the value their customer’s get! Does Shaklee send its customer’s actual checks as a thank you? No. The answer is no … Shaklee does not profit share with anyone but its top line and stock holder’s. This is WHY Melaleuca is able to reward as well as they do. They are not just a wellness company with NON-animal tested products (I can’t believe I just read that, Mary) that work so much better than Shaklee’s and as pointed out by Theresia,but in WELLNESS it the products, the opportunity and in its mission. It really is wellness in mind, body and soul and risk free. Melaleuca’s prices are MUCH lower than Shaklee’s as their Windex substitute, for example, make’s 6 bottles and the member price is $5.69 … That works out to less than .95 cents a bottle!!!!!! Also, member prices are on an average 30-60% less than the ones you listed. Take Shaklee’s and then remember that their ‘distributers’ have to mark their prices UP to make a profit.

Melaleuca also gives monthly business reports to all marketers. It is not an MLM just because a woman wrote an article saying it is. Is Netflix an MLM? Nope. The idea in sales is the same. No one is out selling Netflix but people shop online and now, even through their BluRay players, because they signed up for a Netflix membership. They agree to pay a certain amount monthly and deal directly through Netflix. When you shop with Melaleuca you shop directly with the Company like you do when you go to the store. All you’re doing is redirecting money you would be spending anyway. You make your own choices and it is consumer direct which also leaves you with PRIVACY.

Some may say Shaklee’s proof is in it being a multi-billion dollar company. They have been here since 1950. Melaleuca began in 1985 with the message to enhance the lives of others. It does that in every way as it is now approaching its billion dollar mark,with several years of BBB awards like their HIGHEST Blue Torch Award, and the same goes for its years as an Inc 500 Hall of Fame winner. Melaleuca’s amazing products are proven to work due to their amazing and patented formula’s that are made right here in the USA. Their shoppers get amazing products, other offers and actually, as I mentioned, profit share as they save and help themselves and their families. The Company hasn’t had ONE lay off EVER. It is 100% debt-free … Also, all I’m writing is backed by PROOF (I could go on and on about product comparing proof, but I think I’ve made enough points in the differences).

On that note, I wish EVERYONE with Shaklee happiness, health and prosperity. I really want the best for everyone. I just want the record straight here as so many believe all they read as facts when the facts are wrong. No offense, Neil, but when you’re stating facts you should know them before listing them. I was googling as I was curious what people had to say about this as I have met many people who left Shaklee FOR Melaleuca and I wanted to see what was said in conjunction from what they told me. I wouldn’t have written except you don’t know Melaleuca well enough to have advised as you did. You missed the mark too many times and people will believe what the don’t know …

You stated: “Many of Melaleuca’s products are concentrated, or super concentrated, meaning less packaging, water and shipping is required, and all of their packaging is compatible with the majority of recycling facilities. Melaleuca also use reusable plastic bins in their manufacturing process and recycle what they can whenever possible.”

As you can see from the household cleaners, Shaklee far surpasses Melaleuca in decreasing packaging. They even plant trees when you buy a starter kit of supply samples. Hope this helps your readers as well.

There are mis-truths stated in the original article and some of the responses. I can clarify that Shaklee is privately owned and does not have shareholders. The company was public at one time but not since 2003. Distributors do not have huge inventories in their garages. They do not have to purchase at wholesale and re-sell. The H2 cleaner actually replaces thousands of dollars of Windex cleaner & costs pennies a bottle. If you only need 1-2 drops of H2 to 16 oz of water you add – how is that not super concentrated? Nutriferon & Immunity Boost probably do not have the same ingredients or have had the same clinical testing done on them so to compare them is inaccurate.

My point is that when you post something on the internet, please check all of your facts or be very clear that what you are stating is your opinion! If someone were reading this, trying to evaluating both Mela Luca and Shaklee, and trying to decide between the two – both companies have been done an injustice. In my humble opinion, we have so much work to be done in promoting better living practices, we should be going after the big companies and lobbyists, not two companies who are trying to make a difference.

Jackie, I am glad you took the time to post the truth about Shaklee. I am amazed on how many statements in this forum about Shaklee are totally false. The price comparisons in the article are inaccurate since, like you mention, H2 offers thousands of dollars in savings because it is so concentrated. No company’s immunity booster product can compare to Nutriferon. I have never gotten sick when I am on Nutriferon, and I’ve been taking it for over three years. Prior to starting to take Nutriferon, I was sick with a cold every three months. It is a product that EVERY person should be taking. I feel the same way about LifeVantage’s anti-ageing product, Protandim. Amazing products!

Before I jump from Shakee to Melaleuca, I just hope a little more clarification. After reading preview posts, the only remaining concern/difference for me then is the origin of the nutritional products. Shaklee is very open about their ingredients. As noted in the ariticle, “Shaklee clearly differentiate between natural, naturally derived and scientifically formulated ingredients, and also show which category every single ingredient used belongs to. Melaleuca seem to be less upfront about their ingredient lists, and don’t make it clear what the difference between natural and naturally derived.” This, more so than the price difference in porducts, is the dividing point for me; you get what you pay for. Can any Melaleuca experts share a little more on this?

I’m a Shaklee Dis.since 10/2011.I love their products but,I’m havinga hard time recruiting people because the prices of shaklee are pricey.People can’t afford it .I was thinking about looking into Melalueca instead because it’s more affordable.Any feed back would be helpful .Thanks,Sandy

Hey there Sandy, although I dont want to get into the discussion on this board because it seems there are a lot of uneducated comments., I would be more than happy to show you some more information on melaleuca if you are still interested in comparing the differences for your self

Method of melaleuca will only end with more poorer people.but , i won’t make any comment on product. Only God knows. think with God wisdom . not man foolishess. Open with God ways , not man. Shaklee had fulfill what God want. just that simple.

Whoever wrote this didn’t do their due diligence and research the facts. Melaleuca is NOT a MLM and theyre NOT “distributers.” They do NOT have a “downline” and they are residual income, ongoing true monthly income. Melaleuca has a documented 95% reorder rate, I’d love to know Shaklee’s. People order what they really NEED, and they don’t mark product up, everyone no matter what your level (whether you are just a consumer or whether you actually refer customers and generate income) pays the SAME. Harvard business school is studying this model of business currently and they are the FIRST EVER Consumer Direct Marketing Company worldwide. Pretty cool.

PS Melaleuca preferred customers pay $5.67 for the cleaning products (which have no child safety caps because they’re already safe–no child has ever been poisoned by a Melaleca product) and they make 4-6 full sized spray bottles. Melaleuca hit over ONE BILLION in annual sales last year, what was Shaklee’s. Just curious. Melaleuca surpassed total sales of Mary Kay and AMway this year too, and they’ve been around half the time. Their products work, they speak for themselves. “The truth is always good enough.” – Frank Vandersloot, CEO of Melaleuca

Ok, I am actually looking for a comparison of products, but I want to make 3 statements

1) My dad sold melaleuca in the 80’s when the company was new. It was DEFINITELY an MLM “buy the products, get your clients to buy them from you, and get them to be a distributor with a downline to REALLY increase your profits.

2) While the internet allows the ability to cut out the need for me to buy FROM my friend and her carry products, it still has downlines and uplines. Yes I don’t have to sell it to buy it. But it is indeed a MLM when it comes to working it like a business and earning money.

3) My husband and I recently signed up for Melaleuca because our friend presented it to us as an “all natural ” company. But the more and more I purchase these products I am disappointed in the ingredients labels. In the laundry detergent specifically I called to see about the ingredients. They said they could not tell me, and the only thing she could say for sure was that the FDA would not allow them to use the “non-toxic” label on their products (which would mean to me that they do have toxins in them. Which they will not admit to me)

I see on Shaklee’s website their products ARE listed as “non-toxic” “natural” or “chemical free” Melaleuca can not make that claim. Makes me wonder what they are NOT telling me is in that laundry detergent, and better than Store brands? I dunno. No one will tell me.

I am not looking to make money, I just want the safest products for my family. And so far I am not impressed with Melaleuca.

Angel, I’m with you on wanting the safest products and recently found Essante Organics. They are 100% Organic and 100% Chemical-Free. They were just awarded the Chemical Free seal of approval from the ToxicFree Foundation for their entire product line of weight loss, personal care, anti-aging, home and now baby products. This seal has only been awarded to 3 companies worldwide. Oh yeah their compensation plan blows away everyone elses as well. Check it out at essanteorganics.com/cr. If interested or have questions feel free to contact me at moc.l1481303808iamg@1481303808retue1481303808ryc1481303808

First, I want to comment to Angel’s post of 4/21/12. You can find all the product information on each of your Melaleuca products right on line, there are product labels and ingredient labels you can pull up before you even make a purchase. The other thing I wanted to point out is the fact that Melaleuca’s cleaning products to not have child proof caps on them, you better believe that the FDA would not approve that if they weren’t in fact very safe. I’m not sure who your enroller is, but you really should be contacting them or Melaleuca with your concerns about how safe the products are, etc. All of Melaleuca’s products are not “all-natural”, however, many of them are. Those that aren’t are the best of science and nature formulated.

If you are concerned about MLM’s vs Consumer Direct Marketing, these twelve success factors should help you when making your decision between Melaleuca and other MLM companies. Look for these qualities when deciding on going into business for yourself.

12 Success Factors:
1. Company Track Record
2. Financially Sound
3. Strong Management
4. Product or service is highly consumable to all
5. Competitive Pricing
6. Low Personal Production Requirement
7. High Reorder Rate
8. Low Entry Fee
9. Low Attrition
10. Timing
11. No Breakaways
12. Risk Free
Which one of these 12 points would you take off the list and still invest your money, time and reputation? Are you looking for the next one or the last one?

Please feel free to contact me with any other questions or concerns, I would love to help you figure them out or at least send you in the right direction for the answers that you are looking for.

My husband and I have been Melaleuca customers for over 20 years. We have used their vitamins and many of the supplements all that time. We use, not all, but a full range of of other Melaleuca products monthly as well. My husband is 91 years old and I am 71. We go to a Senior Fit class three times a week. In addition I go to a Senior Tap class weekly. We just bought a new travel trailer and will be full time on the road starting this June. Not only do we like their products, but as perfered customers we are able to shop at the lower preferred customer level and receive reward $ on everything we buy. I save these reward $ and use them to purchase birthday and Christmas gifts for family and friends. Melaleua had their first $1 Billion in annual sales this past year.

Ive been shopping for the best network marketing company,that is best for my family,im not big on retailing, so melaleuca seems to be a a goo choice, the only thing is, i dont see any water filters, and they dont have a turnkey marketing system, so id have to go shop for one,and theres a lot of them out there, so hmmm……

Hi Chris,
I would love to share all of the information with you in regards to Melaleuca. Before you decide on anything you should see an entire overview. There are many benefits to being a customer and over 20 income streams to the business. It is Consumer Direct Marketing at it’s finest.

I love the fact that I don’t inventory product, sell product, I refer others to shop wholesale.

Send me a message with your number and a good time to reach you and we can get something set up for you to take a look at.

I’ve been using Melalueca products especially the supplements for nearly a year and I find it very good as it improves my overall health. However, I am quite dissappointed after knowing that Phytomega is not being certified as a Halal supplement as I know that it is one of the best that Melalueca offers. I hope the R&D of Melalueca could make a change from the use of bovine softgel to veg. softgel. Really look forward to the good news!

NO MATTER WHATEVER EVER IT IS AS FAR AS I KNOW SHAKLEE IS THE NO 1 NATURAL NUTRITION COMPANY IN US TODAY. THEY HAVE SPEND MORE THEN 300 MILLIONS ON R&D. THEIR RESEACH ALWAYS BEEN PUBLISHED IN PEER -REVIEWED JOURNALS AND IT IS PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE. THE MOST IMPORTANT IS YOU CONSUME THE PRODUCTS AND IT WILL SPEAK BY ITSELF. DONT COMPARE THE PRICE BEFORE SEEING THE RESULTS OF THE PRODUCTS.NO POINT BUY PRODUCTS WHICH IS CHEAP BUT NO RESULTS OR NOT EFFECTIVE.

Shelley,
Melaleuca does extensive research and testing on their products, this is where the “advertising” dollars like most other companies use go in Melaleuca, for our R&D and testing. Call Melaleuca and ask to discuss that with someone. 1-800-262-0600.

A friend of mine has been trying to sell me skaklee products for two years now. I always felt uneasy about spending that much money on a product without finding out about them (aside from their own personal advertisements). is it really worth it? Am I gonna get ripped off. I’ve always pretty much believed in life usually you get what you pay for…although that doesn’t apply to everything. After reading about all this MLM stuff, ( I love reading real people’s feedback on sites like this THANX so much) I am officially turned off. There really is no company out there that the bottom line really truly is the bottom dollar amount. Its about making money. I”m gonna invest in a expensive juicer and buy some organic veggies and fruits and make my own vitamins. I don’t need to give my hard earned money away to some company and I certainly rather spend my time juicing than annoying my neighbors about vitamins. Natural is always best and you can’t get any more natural that juicing it up and actually consuming it while it is still alive and fresh rather than taking some powdered pill. I feel like all these companies are just like all the other pharmacy companies out there they just don’t put annoying advertisements on tv. I’d just like to state this is just my opinion…everyone is entitled to have one. Thanks everyone

Thanks for your comparison of Melaleuca Vs. Shaklee. Yes, I agree with you in that both are MLM companies. I did not read every response to your article but 2 stand out. One of them says that you are spreading lies. I disagree with that gentleman. I personally was a Melaleuca distributor at one time. In fact, I still have the Melaleuca kit and the explanation of how their marketing works. So, sir, come on. Melaleuca is an MLM company. (The direct to consumer is part of part of MLM. I do not believe you if you say you never speak to your friends and give them a testimony of how great Melaleuca products are. All companies work the same way, regardless whether you are involved with Melaleuca or HerbLife or Shaklee. Same thing). I strongly suggest that you read your kit of how to develop the business. This comment goes for the lady also who thinks that MLM is a bad thing. It is not a bad thing. She does say it that way but the way she says that Melaleuca is an MLM is not because a lady says that it is. (She is implying MLM is bad.) Come one. Who said that MLM is bad? It is not. It is way to earn some money and if you are good to excellent salesperson you will earn a living that way. What is wrong with that? Regarding Melaleuca, I did like it very much. I left them because I did not make money but Melaleuca as far as I know is an excellent company. I did like it better when it was a much smaller company.

I would just like to say I have been with both companies. Melaleuca and Shaklee. The only reason I left Melaleuca is because I found it challenging to retain my customers to continue doing the 35 product points a month. (perhaps a training issue) The products are awesome and they work I would like to also say I Made Money with Melaleuca Every Month!!!! Since I have been with Shaklee I have made NOTHING and I found it much more challenging to do Shaklee as a business. Now I do like the Shaklee products much better than Melaleuca which is why I am still a current shaklee user but if you want to really make money go with Melaleuca you still will be using great products and the business opportunity is the best out there when it comes to working a wellness company! That’s my two cents!

I would just like to say I have been with both companies. Melaleuca and Shaklee. The only reason I left Melaleuca is because I found it challenging to retain my customers to continue doing the 35 product points a month. (perhaps a training issue) The products are awesome and they work. I would like to also say I Made Money with Melaleuca Every Month!!!! Since I have been with Shaklee I have made NOTHING and I found it much more challenging to do Shaklee as a business. Now I do like the Shaklee products much better than Melaleuca which is why I am still a current shaklee user but if you want to really make money go with Melaleuca you still will be using great products and the business opportunity is the best out there when it comes to working a wellness company! That’s my two cents!

The only problem that I am having with Melaleuca is that Frank Vandersloot, the CEO, is a known for his anti-gay politics. He tried to run a PR campaign against this thought but actions speak way louder than words–use of his call centers to promote anti-gay legislation, donations to advertise against gay people. It’s too bad because I really like everything else about Melaleuca.

Then work from within to change it. I believe there are gay people who partner w/ Melaleuca. It’s Frank’s company, and he built a great one, but you are who/what you are and he doesn’t have the power to change that. If you like the company and the products, work with them. I don’t particularly care for Frank’s politics, but he’s still a good man. And very smart to do what he has done and gotten where he is now.

After reading this article and all the comments, it seems like Melaleuca came out on top. What Melaleuca had done in 27 years no other MLM company has done in their whole existance. Put everything aside. Melaleuca is the proven company to enhance lives and enhance their builder’s financial situation. Anyone who wants to SERIOUSLY build a home-base business of a life-time knows it is Melaleuca. No other companies come close to Melaleuca’s compensation plan, mission statement, culture, and their success.

I would live to hear success stories for either Shaklee or Melaleuca. I’m interested in the products and working for them. I just can’t make a decision. I want my decision to be correct the first time around. Any feedback would be helpful.

Kara,
Have you actually seen an Melaleuca overview? If so, my suggestion is to speak with the person that invited you to see it and speak with him/her and their team to get some facts, testimony and the like.

I work a Melaleuca business very part time, aside from my FT job and the reason I do is because I am a customer of these products for life, I have totally switched my home over to these wonderful products and both my hubby and I take the Vitality 6 and Total vitamins. I figure if I’m going to be a customer, why not talk to people about these great products and refer them to shop?

Melaleuca has JIT Just in Time Manufacturing, which means larger savings for the consumer and fresher products. It totally makes sense for me to switch from my “other” store for these products and shop with Melaleuca. If Melaleuca offers it, I purchase from them and the monthly 35 points has never been an issue over the past 3-1/2 years.

If you have not seen a complete overview, contact me and I can get you on a webcast so you can see for yourself how great the company and the products are for yourself.

Not from a business standpoint, but as a consumer, Shaklee wins out for me. I liked my Melaleuca products, but to have to buy $35 a month of products to maintain my membership status really became a burden. I was told how much money I would save with their super-concentrated products, but then I ended up having to buy things I didn’t need to maintain my membership. I did like Melaleuca’s wider variety of products, but I also find that what Shaklee does offer works better. Melaleuca does not have anything that works as good as Shaklee’s Scour Off.

I read each and everyone of these comments. Some of the Shaklee info was true some false. Some was corrected by others. My opinion about the other company is I have none.
What I can tell you about Shaklee is that I thank God my parents were introduced to it in 1979. I joined in 1980 (I was 23 just married, and had a 2mo. old). I tried doing the business and made it to, what it was called back in the 80’s, a supervisor. But with raising 5 kids it was tough. I kept my downline and they helped me, in two ways, to make enough money to pay for my own supplements which, is still by the way, the way you make money, #1 the price differential, and #2 each bonus check you make a month depending on the PV level you reach (which is derived by a total of PointValue that you and others in your downline have purchased through you or through Shaklee direct)The quality and efficacy Shaklee sets their standards by since 1956 is beyond beyond. A product is taken off the market if EVEN IF ONE ingredient of a product does not meet there requirements.
Those 5 kids I raised all took supplements and protein. I use(d) Shaklee cleaning and laundry products, personal care products ,i.e. Meadow Blend which was not a soap but a liquid cleanser, shampoo, conditioner, and face products, I tell you this because IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE between using chemical, synthetic, toxic, perfumed, items on your body and your childrens body. Beside what you put in your mouth, what you put on your skin and what you inhale can also be detrimental to your health. I NEVER WORRIED ABOUT THIS RAISING MY CHILDREN.Shaklee always guaranteed that there products are and were 100% safe and natural.
As a result 33 years later, my kids had no stomach issues, allergies, breathing problems, many had perfect years of 100% attendance and the Dr. only saw my kids at K,5th,& H.S. admissions time. Now that’s what I call AWESOME! How many can say that!
So if you are considering making your life/health better come over to Shaklee. People say that Shaklee is expensive. I say it depends on your perspective. Look at your shoes, your nails, your clothes, your cars, stereo systems, stupid-phones, gaming systems, TV’s and number of how many you have, lap tops, house decor, tattoos, piercings, and all the other material items you own, Your shoes will wear out, your nails will break, your clothes will shrink,your car will rust, your phone will die, your computer will be outdated in a year, you’ll get bored with your deco’s, your tattoos will fade, and your piercings will stretch, .
You’ve spent all that money on materialistic items that last a short span of time, while your health will last a lifetime, I’m 57 today, gramma of 3 and haven’t had the need to see a doctor since the birth of my last child in 1990. I could run rings around people half my age. Is Shaklee expensive? …… No…….. I’m worth it!

Hi! Your facts are not really correct on the Shaklee side in several areas, I dont know about melaleuca. My comment is show me the science, I know where to find all of shaklee’s science and it is peer reviewed and 3rd party tested (its not just marketing to get sales) Also, show me the actual compensation plan and what actual people are making. MLM is a great business but there are a lot of false claims out there.

I grew up on Shaklee products and they were great. My mom had a good Shaklee business but she did have to buy a lot of inventory to maintain her status. We had a LOT of inventory in our basement over the years but she also gave all of her kids free products, even when we married and started our own families! Bonus! She made us all distributors but not one of us ever sold a thing…too expensive. Loved the products, but when she was no longer able to do her business due to age and health issues, not one of us kids continued buying Shaklee. When I stopped using the Shaklee products in our home I started a chronic cough that lasted for 6 years. I went through every medical test offered to try to track down the reason for my endless, debilitating cough. No doctor could find a cause. In Oct. 2011 I came across Melaleuca and thought the products sounded a lot like Shaklee products but were a good bit cheaper. I became a Preferred Customer with Melaleuca (I purchase 35 product points a month – about $50-$60) and LOVE the products. After changing out my store-bought products with my Melaleuca products, my cough disappeared after only a few months back on natural products. Therefore, having used both companies’ products and knowing both compensation plans VERY well, Melaleuca and Shaklee are very comparable in product, in concentration of product, and quality of product. Melaleuca wins – hands down – in price and compensation plan.

It is impossible to compare Shaklee with Melaleuca. As Dr. Shaklee always said, “Don’t pick on the competition, they are doing the best that they can.” I don’t think that Shaklee is intimated by Melaleuca so Melaleuca should sell their products based on the products merits and not on comparing them with the largest and oldest natural nutritional company in the United States. When I first became involved Shaklee 20 plus years ago, everyone asked me if it was like Amway. I didn’t slam Amway, I sold Shaklee. Take heed Melaleuca distributors. There are enough customers for all of us. Be respectful and do not slam your competition, especially without the facts. It never works.

There’s a company that just launched in January that has both of these companies beat. The products are Certified Toxic Free, Organic, and Ecocert. The company also pays customers 10% of all sales from referrals. The company is full disclosure which means every single ingredient in every product is on the label, and rated at the safest levels according to the Environmental Working Group. Amazing compensation plan as well. They pay their reps 9 different ways.

Shaklee is the cheapest! As a member of Shaklee, whether a consumer or a distributor, you do not carry any product stock. As with Melaleuca, one simply refers their clients to their website. Shaklee has a “one time” membership fee for life, unlike Melaleucas annual fee. Shaklee does not require you to purchase anything on a monthly basis, as Melaleuca does. Shaklee also has cheaper shipping and handling fees, auto ship with an extra 10% off discount, nor does Shaklee have a questionable past as Melaleuca. The FDA has slapped the hands of Melaleuca numerous times over false product claims. In closing, Shaklee also has concentrated products just like Melaleuca. Shaklee is clearly the winner here. No annual fee, no sales of purchase requirements, no stock on hand to sit at home and collect dust, lower shipping charges, and they will even refund your money immediately if your unhappy with a product and will not require you to send it back!

I have to agree with Trenton! Shaklee is the better choice. No annual fee. No need to carry stock. No monthly purchase requirements. Lower shipping costs. Auto ship with an extra discount if you so wish.

Melaleuca has an annual fee. You’re required place a minimum 35 point order every month. The shipping charges are exhorbitant. Yes, you may delay your membership up to six months, but why? If you didn’t have to place a product order every month this would not be necessary.

Shaklee is clearly the right choice for me! Both companies are MLM’s and there’s no doubt about it! If they weren’t, they would not belong to the Direct Sellers Association.

I’ve been a member of both companies for the past five years. They are very comparable, to say the least. However, I have been reading all of the above claims that Melaleuca is not an MLM. It most certainly is! If you are referring an individual to a site or company and you are earning a commission, then it most certainly is an MLM company. Consumer Direct Sales is simply another term for an MLM business.

Shaklee offers the advantage of:

1) No Annual Fee – $19.95 for a Lifetime Membership
2) Affordable Shipping Charges
3) FREE Business or Member Website
4) If you wish to sell the product, sell it, if not don’t!
5) Excellent Customer Service and Return Policy
6) NO Monthly sales or purchase requirements…Period!
7) Easy, Quick and Simple Membership Sign Up Process

I use both product ranges and enjoy them. My only complaint about Melaleuca are the false claims that they occasionally make about their products and secondly, the requirement of having to order 35 points minimum of product each and every month. Some months a person simply does not need a thing.

This article is biased against Shaklee and toward Melaleuca. The author repeatedly comments that both companies seem to be evenly matched, but there are so many inaccuracies about Shaklee. Some are either no longer correct, e.g. Shaklee now has member direct ordering, so there is no need for an independent distributor to carry an inventory. Some are simply misleading, e.g. only referring to the cost of a bottle of Basic H2, without explaining how much cleaner you make by adding your own water (or that depending on the “recipe” you use, whether you make window cleaner, household cleaner, or degreaser). Because Shaklee household products ARE super concentrated, which is called out as an asset for Melaleuca, but IMPLIED to not be true about Shaklee.

There are a lot of implications in this article about Shaklee – implications to the negative. While the author also omits the information that others here have shared that I personally would view as a negative about Melaleuca, e.g. a $35 monthly minimum purchase, just to maintain consumer-level membership.

This article is biased, though pretending not to be. To the author, SHAME on you!